Interesting Fact: The red-fronted macaw is a fairly vocal parrot, known to produce high-pitched growls and harsh squeaks.

More information:

The red-fronted macaw is bright green with an orange-red forehead and a small patch of red behind each eye. The shoulders and thighs are also orange, the primary feathers of the wings are blue and the tail is olive-green tipped with blue. Males and females are similar in appearance. The red-fronted macaw is endemic to the east Andean slope of Bolivia, South America.

The red-fronted macaw feeds on seeds and fruit, but it will also frequently feed on crops including maize and ground nuts, as natural food is often very scarce. It roosts and nests on steep riverside cliffs. Eggs are typically laid between November and April, and most breeding pairs tend to successfully rear one young each year.

The reasons for the drastic decline of the red-fronted macaw include widespread habitat loss and degradation, largely as a result of conversion to agriculture but also due to logging and collection of firewood. This species is illegally trapped for the pet trade, but the scale of this problem is unclear. Furthermore, as the natural food sources of this bird are lost, it has to rely more on crops and becomes increasingly exposed to persecution as a result.

The red-fronted macaw is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), so international trade in this species is tightly controlled. Within Bolivia, the capture, transport and export of this species is illegal. This macaw occurs in only one protected area, but just eight birds are known to breed within this park. BirdLife Bolivia initiated a conservation programme for this species in 2002. A ban on trading the red-fronted macaw has been proposed, and recommendations have been made to fence off areas of suitable habitat to reduce grazing by livestock, allowing its natural food source to make a come-back.